A.
Often, people approach the stories and lives as described in the Bible
as only stories, and not really real

B.
But the very fact that there are SO MANY lives described so openly and
so thoroughly in the Bible tells you how important God thinks learning
from people is very important!

C.
One of God’s special examples was the Apostle Paul

1.
One day, he wrote that he was not only a sinner, but a GREAT sinner –
the chiefest of sinners!

a.
He wrote the following words, “This
is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1:15)

b.
Wow! This is the great Apostle Paul writing this.

1)
Not a mass-murderer, or drug cartel leader – but Paul!

2)
A first century Christian, who started churches all over the middle east
and southern Europe. A man who stood before kings and princes, and who
endured prison cells and almost constant hardships.

2.At
first,
Paul never really believed he was a sinner, and not really that bad of
one either!

3.
But something happened to him so that he wrote that he was not only a
sinner, but a GREAT sinner – the chiefest of sinners!

4.
Paul finally understood what JESUS was all about

a.
Mat 18:11 For the Son of man
is come to save that which was lost.

b.
Rom 5:6-8 For when we were
yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For
scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good
man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us,
in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

c.
1John 4:14 And we have seen
and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the
world.

D.
This is his testimony, not just of salvation, but of life for him!

II.
Background (1Timothy 1:11-15)

A.
The Glorious Gospel (1:11)

1.
Throughout Paul’s writings, there is this Amazement, this awe about the
Gospel

2.
Paul loved hearing it, and Paul loved preaching it!

3.
It was the most powerful truth he had ever heard

B.
His Affected Life (1:12-15)

1.
The Gospel affected Paul – changed him; helped him

2.
So Thankful for what Christ Jesus had done TO him

a.
Not what his religion had done for him, or his education, or his own
wits – but what JESUS had done for him!

b.
Jesus gave Paul the Gospel – over and over again from the lips of those
he persecuted

c.
Enabled Paul – to finally live, and laugh, and love life

d.
Put Paul in the Ministry – the highest calling

1)
To Paul, Peter, James, John, Matthew, Stephen, Philip, all had the best
jobs

2)
Better than being a KING, or a CEO of a billion euro company, or a world
cup winner

3)
Being a minister, a servant of the King of kings and Lord of lords!

3.
So aware that he was NOW Important

a.
He used to think he was very important – as a religious zealot against
Christianity

b.
But now he knew that he had to stay the course, stay in the ministry,
keep preaching, keep praying, keep soul-winning, so believers could be
encouraged to do the same!

III.
Message - Listen to Paul’s Testimony (1:13,14)

A.What Paul was BEFORE Conversion
(1Timothy 1:12,13; Acts 26:9-11)

1.
Blindly Religious (Philp 3:4-6) – all
caught up in everything about HIMSELF and what HE had done!

a.
Circumcised the eighth day

b.
Born of the stock of Israel

c.
Of the tribe of Benjamin

d.
An Hebrew of the Hebrews – the best of the best!

e.
A keep of the Law of God! As touching the law, a Pharisee;

f.Super
zealous - Concerning zeal, persecuting the church

g.
Touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

h.
That’s pretty GOOD if God were to count effort – Paul would have gotten
an A+++

i.But
there was MORE to him than he wanted to admit!

j.You
see,

1)
There is NONE righteous, no not one

2)
All have sinned

3)
Paul was just a secret sinner – righteous on the outside, vile on the
inside! He knew how to HIDE his sins. But GOD saw them! And THAT made
Paul guilty, and the chiefest of sinners!

2.
A Blasphemer of Jesus Christ

a.
People worry about blaspheming GOD

b.
But Paul found out that all his mockery of Jesus Christ was the same!

c.
Blasphemy is a serious offense - It is the same when people go around
lying about YOU – libel. It is serious, and most people SUE people who
lie about them!

1)
Paul mocked, ridiculed, made fun of, lampooned Jesus of Nazareth

2)
He cursed Jesus – made Him the same as the devil!

3)
Paul went everywhere saying Jesus was a liar, a fraud, a SINNER!

4)
Funny. That was exactly what Paul was before his conversion!

d.
The Bible says in Philippians 2:10,
that at the name of Jesus, every
knee should bow! When we don’t and we mock, and brush off all this
worship stuff, we are joining with Paul as the worst, and the chiefest
of sinners!

e.
How we think about and dishonour Jesus dooms our soul, because there is
no other Saviour than HIM!

f.You
blaspheme HIM, and you have no one else to turn to!

g.
I can’t make it any plainer than THAT!

3.
A Bully - Persecutor of the
Church of God (1Cor 15:9)

a.
Persecuted believers beyond measure (Gal 1:13) – thousands lived in fear
for their lives because of him

b.
Put believers into prison – just for believing that Jesus was the
Messiah (Acts 26:10)

c.
Injurious – he physically hurt people

1)
Tortured and even murdered Christians (Acts 9:1; 22:4)

2)
Remember Stephen? Saul stood there urging on those who were stoning,
holding onto their coats!

3)
All in the name of “God”

d.
This is a dangerous guy, who in the name of his religion, and in the
name of his God, he could justify anything he did!

4.
An Unbeliever – Bible rejecter – only like and believe the parts that
you like

B.
If so, then you are in a mess

1.
Don’t lie to yourself, that maybe you are not really that bad a sinner!

2.
It’s time to get truly saved! (2Cor 6:2)

3.
God will help you, if you want Him to!

4.
Trust in Him, not with words, but with your sinful record, and your
sin-sick soul!

5.
We live in a wicked age when no one wants to be honest and admit they
need a Saviour

a.
They would rather remain Blindly religious

b.
They don’t care how much they Blaspheme the name of Jesus by their
wicked personal lives, and wicked speech, and wicked thoughts

c.
They don’t mind Bullying everyone else about
their faults, just as long as
they don’t have to deal with their OWN sins!

d.
And they don’t care that they really are an Unbeliever – a flat out
Bible rejecter

e.
Could that describe ANYONE in here?
Probably!

f.Will
you admit to God you are NOT good enough to enter His holy heaven, and
HAVE been wicked, and sinful, and that you now understand just how much
you need a Saviour?

C.
Christian, Maybe you are struggling with that old part of you, that
still sins, and still struggles with temptations.

1.
Believe this…

a.
Jesus died for you while you were yet a sinner

b.
Loved you while you were ungodly

c.
And took the place of unworthy wicked people like you and me

2.
He did not make you perfect and sinless

3.
He just gave you HIMSELF as the means to live in spite of your sin now

4.
He gave you the power to not sin, on a moment by moment basis, if you
only would want to not to!

5.
What is it YOU want to do?

a.
Lie to yourself that you are not really saved because you sin?

b.
Or lie to yourself that you don’t really sin anymore because you are
saved?

c.
Or will you accept the reality that you are a pretty wicked sinner
still, that Christ so loved, and gave Himself on the cross for, and will
now and always keep you, all the way home to heaven? Will you believe
that?